The US Air Force (USAF) has found a new assignment for its three A-29 Super Tucano turboprops, which have been lying idle since the service canceled a competition for a light aircraft for close air support and ISR.
The Embraer aircraft manufactured under license by Sierra Nevada Corporation have been transferred to the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB in California.
The three turboprops arrived at the site in July, but only this week did the Air Force announce the move.
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Until now, the A-29s had been parked at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona, after the USAF preferred to acquire the attack variant of a crop duster for counterinsurgency missions.
The aircraft were acquired in 2017 along with two AT-6Bs to be evaluated for a competition, but the Air Force later ended up giving up on the program. Two years ago, the Super Tucanos were considered for a possible Foreign Military Sale.
At Edwards, the Super Tucanos will be used in conjunction with T-38 and F-16 jets to test a variety of sensors and weapons, taking advantage of multiple wing pylons and modern avionics.
‘Home’ of the B-21 Raider
“The decision to transfer A-29 aircraft to Edwards is a result of thoughtful analysis by the Test Pilot School and an excellent example of command agility and collaboration to take advantage of a unique, fleeting opportunity,” said Michael Banzet, director, Air Force Test Center plans and programs. “Not only does this repurpose a $63 million taxpayer investment, it also modernizes and expands TPS curriculum to accelerate the fielding of combat capability for the USAF.”
According to the Air Force, the Test Pilot School has undergone a strategic shift in its mission and the A-29 will help test pilots in critical situations.
No new aircraft have been deployed to the facility at Edwards, a historic air base known for being the home of the advanced X family of aircraft, including the groundbreaking X-1, which broke the sound barrier in 1947, for nearly 30 years.
Edwards is also where the world’s most advanced military aircraft, the B-21 Raider stealth bomber, is being developed.
